Accused: Rebekah Brooks' former bodyguard David Johnson has been charged over an alleged conspiracy

A bodyguard who protected former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks has been charged with conspiracy perverting the course of justice, it was revealed today

David Johnson, 47, allegedly conspired to hide computers and other items from police investigating phone hacking and corrupt payments to public officials.

The self-employed man, from Mitcham, Surrey, was told he will face court when he answered bail at a south London police station yesterday.

It is alleged that Johnson conspired with six people, including Brooks and her husband Charlie, who have already been charged under Operation Sacha.

The former security worker will appear before Westminster Magistrates' Court on May 8, the Crown Prosecution Service said today.

Gregor McGill, a senior lawyer with
the Crown Prosecution Service, said: 'Following a careful review of the
evidence, we have concluded that David Johnson, a security professional
who was employed to provide a protection service to Rebekah Brooks,
should be charged with an offence of conspiracy to pervert the course of
public justice.

'It is alleged that between the 15
and 19 July 2011 Mr Johnson conspired to pervert the course of justice
by concealing computers and other items from the Metropolitan Police
Service during its investigation into allegations of phone hacking and
the corruption of public officials by journalists.

'It is alleged that he conspired with the six defendants already charged in relation to this aspect of Operation Sacha.'

The other six people accused of being part of a conspiracy are Rebekah Brooks, her husband Charlie, Mark Hanna, Lee Sandell, Daryl Jorsling and Paul Edwards.

Operation Sacha is Scotland Yard's investigation into allegations of perverting the course of justice relating to Operation Weeting, its phone hacking inquiry, and Operation Elveden, which is investigating alleged payments to public officials by journalists.

Charged: Charlie Brooks, husband of Rebekah, (left) and Mark Hanna (right) are also charged over the alleged conspiracy under Operation Sacha

The announcement comes after Fergus Shanahan, 56, an executive at The Sun, was charged over alleged payments of £7,000 to a public official.

Shanahan is accused of conspiring to commit misconduct in public office between August 2006 and August 2007. He is also due to appear Westminster Magistrates' Court on May 8.

Former News of the World editors Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson were told in March that they will face trial in September next year over alleged illegal payments to public officials.

Prosecutors believe Mr Shanahan, who was deputy editor from 2003 to 2009 when Ms Brooks was editor, allowed a journalist to make two payments totalling £7,000 to a public official in 2006 and 2007.

'Conspiracy': David Johnson worked as a bodyguard for former News International chief-executive Rebekah Brook's. The company's headquarters are pictured